Refrigeration device with a region for storing food items in a generated field

ABSTRACT

Provided is a refrigeration device for storing food within an electric field. The refrigeration device includes a fresh food compartment and a freezer compartment vertically below an elevation of the fresh food compartment. A storage compartment in which a desired temperature for storing food is selectable by a user independently of a target temperature of at least one of the fresh food compartment and the freezer compartment. A refrigeration system provides a cooling effect to the fresh food compartment, the freezer compartment and the storage compartment, and a conductor is arranged within close physical proximity to a bottom surface of the storage compartment. A control system controls delivery of an alternating electric signal to the conductor for generating an electric field that extends into the storage compartment, wherein the alternating electric signal comprises a frequency less than 1 kHz and a voltage greater than or equal to 1 kV.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This application relates generally to a method and apparatus for storinga food item and, more specifically, to a refrigeration device and methodexposes food stored in a refrigerated environment to a field generatedusing a low-frequency alternating signal.

2. Description of Related Art

Food can be stored for lengthy periods of time in refrigeratedenvironments below 0° C. But the freshness and overall quality of thefood can deteriorate as a result of being exposed to freezingtemperatures. For instance, the food can show signs of an undesirablecondition such as freezer burn. As another example, frozen foodstypically need to be defrosted from a frozen state before being cookedor served. Defrosting within a conventional refrigerated environmentwith a temperature above freezing such as the fresh-food compartment istime consuming. Defrosting frozen foods on a countertop or othernon-refrigerated environment for prolonged periods of time is notadvisable because the temperature of exposed portions of the food mayrise above safe storage temperatures in the time required for internalportions of the food to thaw. And using a cooking appliance such as amicrowave to speed the thawing process can prematurely cook someportions of the food while leaving other portions frozen.

In an effort to at least partially combat such problems, and possiblyother problems not mentioned above, stored foods have been exposed to anelectrostatic field within such refrigerated environments to prolong thelength of time that food can be stored before experiencing freezer burn.One example of such a system involves a conductor placed in a dedicatedfreezer as a shelf on which food is to be placed. With the food inplace, an electric signal is introduced to the conductor to generate thefield. However, generating a field within a dedicated freezer is oflimited usefulness. The temperature within the entire freezercompartment must be maintained at a suitable temperature for thespecific food being stored, making such an appliance impractical forstoring a variety of different types of food at different temperatures.

Other systems utilizing fields for food preservation have attempted tomaximize storage space within a refrigerated compartment by embeddingconductors in opposite lateral side walls defining the compartment. Butspacing the conductors so far apart has called for generation of thefield using high-frequency driving signals, possibly upwards of 500 kHz.Such high-frequency systems require complex drive circuitry that can addto the cost of such systems and have an impact on the energy efficiencyof those systems.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a refrigeration device witha plurality of different refrigerated compartments to accommodate avariety of food storage needs, and a field is generated in at least oneof the compartments using a low-frequency driving signal.

According to one aspect, the subject application involves arefrigeration device for storing food within an electric field. Therefrigeration device includes a fresh food compartment in which food isto be stored within a refrigerated environment having a targettemperature above zero degrees Centigrade, and a freezer compartment inwhich food is to be stored in a sub-freezing environment having a targettemperature below zero degrees Centigrade. A storage compartment inwhich a desired temperature for storing food in the storage compartmentis selectable by a user independently of the target temperature of atleast one of the fresh food compartment and the freezer compartment isalso provided. A refrigeration system provides a cooling effect to thefresh food compartment, the freezer compartment and the storagecompartment, and a conductor is arranged within close physical proximityto a bottom surface of the storage compartment. A control systemcontrols delivery of an alternating electric signal to the conductor forgenerating an electric field that extends into the storage compartment,wherein the alternating electric signal comprises a frequency less than1 kHz and a voltage greater than or equal to 1 kV.

The above summary presents a simplified summary in order to provide abasic understanding of some aspects of the systems and/or methodsdiscussed herein. This summary is not an extensive overview of thesystems and/or methods discussed herein. It is not intended to identifykey/critical elements or to delineate the scope of such systems and/ormethods. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts in a simplifiedform as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presentedlater.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

The invention may take physical form in certain parts and arrangement ofparts, embodiments of which will be described in detail in thisspecification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings which form apart hereof and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an illustrative embodiment of arefrigeration device;

FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway view of the refrigeration device in FIG. 1taken along line 2-2; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a drawer removably received within astorage compartment located in a fresh food compartment of arefrigeration appliance, the storage compartment and drawer having atemperature that is controllable independently of a temperature withinone or both of a fresh food compartment and a freezer compartment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Certain terminology is used herein for convenience only and is not to betaken as a limitation on the present invention. Relative language usedherein is best understood with reference to the drawings, in which likenumerals are used to identify like or similar items. Further, in thedrawings, certain features may be shown in somewhat schematic form.

It is also to be noted that the phrase “at least one of”, if usedherein, followed by a plurality of members herein means one of themembers, or a combination of more than one of the members. For example,the phrase “at least one of a first widget and a second widget” means inthe present application: the first widget, the second widget, or thefirst widget and the second widget. Likewise, “at least one of a firstwidget, a second widget and a third widget” means in the presentapplication: the first widget, the second widget, the third widget, thefirst widget and the second widget, the first widget and the thirdwidget, the second widget and the third widget, or the first widget andthe second widget and the third widget.

FIG. 1 shows an illustrative embodiment of a refrigeration appliance 10,configured as what is referred to as a “bottom-mount” refrigerator.Although the refrigeration appliance 10 is shown and described herein inthe bottom-mount configuration, the refrigeration appliance 10 caninclude any relative arrangement of a refrigeration compartment and afreezer compartment without departing from the scope of the invention.As shown in the drawings, however, the refrigeration appliance 10includes a cabinet 11 defining a fresh food compartment 12 in which foodis to be stored in a refrigerated environment having a targettemperature above zero (0° C.) degrees Centigrade, and a freezercompartment 14 (FIG. 2), the interior of which is concealed in FIG. 1 bya door 16, disposed at an elevation vertically below an elevation of thefresh food compartment 12. Food can be stored in a sub-freezingenvironment having a target temperature below zero (0° C.) degreesCentigrade within the freezer compartment 14. But as mentioned above,the freezer compartment 14 can optionally be arranged at an elevationvertically above the fresh food compartment 12, or laterally next to thefresh food compartment 12 according to other embodiments. Yet otherembodiments of the refrigeration appliance can include only a fresh foodcompartment 12 or only a freezer compartment 14. For the sake ofbrevity, however, the illustrative embodiments of the refrigerationappliance 10 described below include a freezer compartment 14 disposedvertically below the fresh food compartment 12.

To restrict access to an interior of the fresh food compartment 12, afirst door 22 is pivotally connected to the cabinet 12 adjacent to afirst lateral side of the cabinet 12 with a hinge assembly. Likewise, asecond door 26 is pivotally connected to the cabinet 12 adjacent to asecond lateral side to the cabinet 12 with a hinge assembly. The firstand second doors 22, 26 are each insulated to minimize the escape ofheat from the fresh food compartment 12. Opening the doors 22, 26 allowsa user standing in front of the refrigeration appliance 10 to gainaccess to the interior of the fresh food compartment 12. According tocertain illustrative embodiments, opening the doors 22, 26 can alsooptionally grant the user access to a drawer 30 that is removablyreceived within a storage compartment 32 (FIG. 2) partitioned off fromthe interior of the fresh food compartment 12. For such embodiments, thestorage compartment 32 can be considered to be located within the freshfood compartment 12 and including an external surface that is exposed toa temperature within the fresh food compartment 12, but defining aseparate refrigerated storage location therein.

The refrigeration appliance 10 also includes a refrigeration system 18shown schematically in FIG. 2. The refrigeration system 18 is operableto provide a cooling effect to an interior of at least one, andoptionally all of the fresh-food, freezer and storage compartments 12,14, 32. As shown, the refrigeration system 18 chills air to be suppliedas cool air 34 into the freezer compartment 14, cool air 36 into thefresh food compartment 12, and cool air 38 into the storage compartment32. The cool air 38 introduced to the storage compartment 32 canoptionally be supplied via a duct (not shown) that extends between thefreezer compartment 14 and the storage compartment 32, and controlledthrough operation of a damper 40. Adjustment of the damper 40 toregulate and control the temperature within the storage compartment 32,and the optional drawer 30, can be controlled via a printed circuitboard assembly (“PCBA”) 42 including the appropriate control circuitry,for example, or any other suitable controller, dedicated to control thetemperature within the storage compartment 32.

The refrigeration system 18 can be any suitable cooling system employinga refrigerant that undergoes a phase change from liquid to gas in anevaporator as is known in the art to remove heat from air beingintroduced into at least one of the fresh-food and freezer compartments14, 16. Generally, a compressor can be provided to the refrigerationsystem 18 to compress gaseous refrigerant to a high-temperature,high-pressure gas that is condensed and partially cooled to a warmliquid by a condenser. The warm liquid refrigerant is exposed to aninterior of an evaporator assembly comprising many heat-transferringfins, in which the refrigerant rapidly expands and vaporizes into a gas.The phase change extracts the latent heat of vaporization from theambient environment of the evaporator, thereby cooling air blown overthe evaporator to be introduced into at least one of the fresh food andfreezer compartments 14, 16 to provide the desired cooling effect. Thegaseous refrigerant is returned to the compressor and the cycle repeatedas necessary.

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the drawer 30 removably received inthe storage compartment 32. For the embodiment shown, the drawer 30spans substantially the entire width of the fresh food compartment 32 inthe transverse direction indicated by arrow 35. According to alternateembodiments, the drawer 30 can span approximately half the distanceacross the width of the fresh food compartment 12, or less. A topsurface 44 in the form of a plastic cap that forms part of the partitionseparating the storage compartment 32 from the interior of the freshfood compartment 12 supports a user interface 46 that is operativelyconnected to communicate with the PCBA 42. The user interface 46 caninclude up/down temperature buttons 48 or other appropriate inputdevices that can be manipulated by the user to increase/decrease thedesired temperature within the storage compartment 32. According toother embodiments, the user interface 46 can optionally include categorybuttons 50, each relating to a different category of food and acorresponding temperature to be established within the storagecompartment 32. Regardless of the embodiment, a signal indicative of thedesired temperature input via the user interface 46 is transmitted tothe PCBA 42. Based on the desired temperature entered via the userinterface 46, the PCBA 42 can control operation of the damper 40 (FIG.2) and/or the refrigeration system 18 to provide a cooling effect to aninterior of the storage compartment 32. This cooling effect is suitableto cause the temperature therein to approach the desired temperatureinput via the user interface 46.

The PCBA 42 can be dedicated for controlling the temperature in thestorage compartment 32 independently of the temperature within at leastone of the fresh food and freezer compartments 12, 14, and optionallyindependent of both. In other words, a user can input a desiredtemperature for storing the particular food in the drawer 30 within thestorage compartment 32 independent of the target temperature establishedfor one or both of the fresh food and freezer compartments 12, 14. Theuser can optionally input the desired temperature to be establishedwithin the drawer 30 by keying in a specific numerical temperature viathe user interface 46, can utilize up/down temperature control buttons,or otherwise directly specify the desired temperature within the drawer30. According to alternate embodiments, the user can optionally inputthe desired temperature to be established within the drawer 30 bypressing a button or otherwise manipulating an input device provided tothe user interface 46 corresponding to a specific food, or type (e.g.,meat, seafood, beverages, etc. . . . ) of food, to be stored in thedrawer 30. Based on the selected food or type of food, a processingcomponent such as a microprocessor provided to the PCBA 42, for example,can execute computer-executable instructions stored in a non-transitorycomputer-readable memory to select an appropriate temperature for theselected food or type of food. Yet other embodiments can include a userinterface 46 that presents the user with both options for inputting thedesired temperature within the drawer 30, or includes different inputdevices such as a touch-screen interface, control knob, etc. . . .allowing the user to control the desired temperature within the drawer30.

With reference again to FIG. 2, at least one conductor 52, andoptionally a plurality of conductors 52, 54, each formed from anelectrically-conductive material, can be arranged within close physicalproximity (e.g., within 6 inches or less) to the storage compartment 32,and optionally the drawer 30. For example, a lower conductor 52 can bearranged to be substantially parallel with a bottom surface of thestorage compartment 32 and the drawer 30, and coupled to a bottomsurface of the storage compartment 32. Other embodiments can include alower conductor 52 that is coupled to, or otherwise installed adjacentto a bottom surface of the drawer 30. Yet other embodiments can includea lower conductor forming the bottom of the drawer 30, or suspendedbeneath the drawer 30.

For any of the above-mentioned embodiments, the lower conductor 52 canoptionally be permanently secured adjacent to the bottom of the storagecompartment 32 such that the removal of the lower conductor 52 can notbe accomplished without subjecting a portion of the refrigerationappliance 10 to physical damage. For other embodiments, a tool that isspecifically adapted to release the lower conductor 52 from therefrigeration appliance 10 and/or specific knowledge of the physicalconfiguration of the refrigeration appliance 10 not possessed by atypical end user can optionally be required to remove the lowerconductor 52. Installing the lower conductor 52 in this manner can serveto discourage, or optionally prevent users from attempting to remove orotherwise interact with the lower conductor 52.

The lower conductor 52 can be formed from any suitableelectrically-conductive material such as a metal alloy, for example. Aspecific example of a suitable metal alloy is an aluminum alloy thatincludes a combination of aluminum with at least one of magnesium andsilicon, such as 6061 aluminum alloy and, more specifically, 6061-T6aluminum alloy, for example.

Additionally, an upper conductor 54 can optionally be provided adjacentto the top surface 44 of the storage compartment 32 that partitions aportion of the storage compartment 32 from the interior of the freshfood compartment 12. The upper conductor 54 can be installed withinclose proximity to the top surface 44, optionally installed in asubstantially permanent manner, and formed from any suitableelectrically-conductive material. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the upperconductor 54 is suspended from the top surface 44 of the storagecontainer, but could alternately be disposed above the top surface 44,embedded and fully enclosed within the top surface 44, or otherwiseinstalled adjacent to the top surface 44. Although the conductors 52, 54are described herein as metallic plates for the sake of brevity, theconductors 52, 54 can be formed from an electrically-conductive materialof any shape, such as parallel or serpentine wire runs for example,according to other embodiments.

The conductor(s) 52, 54 are formed from any suitableelectrically-conductive material, and can form an antenna such as amonopole antenna, for example, which is an ungrounded conductor with asmall current consumption to emit an electromagnetic field. According toother embodiments, the conductor can act as an electrode when a returnconductive path to a reference potential such as ground is establishedfor the conductor(s) 52, 54. An alternating electric signal can besupplied to the lower conductor 52, the upper conductor 54, or both thelower and upper conductors 52, 54 under the control of a control system60 (FIG. 2). The control system 60 can be realized by any suitableelectric and/or electronic circuitry and/or processing components toconvert a supply signal into the alternating electric signal to bedelivered via respective conductors 62 to one or both of the lower andupper conductors 52, 54. Each respective conductor can establish anelectrically-conductive connection to deliver the alternating electricsignal from the control system 60 to one or both conductors 52, 54,which can each lack a return connection to a ground terminal of thecontrol system 60, allowing a floating voltage to be established betweenthe conductors 52, 54 and the control system 60. For instance, a coaxcable is one example of a suitable conductor 62. Regardless of thespecific construction of the conductors 52, 54, when the alternatingelectric signal is delivered to one or both the conductors 52, 54, anelectric field is generated by the conductor(s) 52, 54 receiving thesignal in the vicinity of each respective conductor 52, 54.

According to alternate embodiment, one or both conductors 52, 54 canoptionally be replaced or arranged in combination with a permanentmagnet, electromagnet, and the like to establish a magnetic field inlieu of, or in addition to the electric field generated as a result ofsupplying the alternating electric signal to one or both conductors 52,54. According to other embodiments, the electric field can be anelectromagnetic field generated by supplying the alternating electricsignal to one or both conductors 52, 54. However, for the sake ofbrevity, the field generated will be described herein as an electricfield, which can also be accompanied by a magnetic field.

The supply signal can be any alternating electric signal such as thesignal output from a conventional AC household receptacle supplied withelectricity by an electric utility. In the U.S., such a supply signalhas a voltage of approximately 115 V and a frequency of approximately 60Hz before being converted into the alternating electric signal. In otherjurisdictions, the supply signal can have a voltage of approximately 240V, and a frequency of approximately 50 Hz.

Regardless of the particular supply signal converted, the alternatingelectric signal can be a sinusoidal, square wave, sawtooth wave, or anyother oscillating signal. The alternating electric signal supplied bythe control system 60 to the conductor(s) 52, 54 can also include avoltage that is greater than or equal to 1 kV, and optionally within arange from about 1 kV to about 10 kV. The frequency of the alternatingelectric signal supplied by the control system 60 can include afrequency of about 60 Hz, about 50 Hz, or any suitably-low value that isless than 1 kHz. For embodiments employing the lower and upperconductors 52, 54, the alternating electric signal supplied to each canbe substantially in phase with the alternating electric signal suppliedto the other. Further, the conductors 52, 54 are arranged to prevent theelectric field 64 generated by each conductor 52, 54 from canceling orsignificantly interfering with the electric field 64 generated by theother one of the conductors 52, 54.

Supplying the alternating electric signal to the ungrounded lowerconductor 52, upper conductor 54, or both conductors 52, 54 generates anelectric field 64 that emanates from the one or more conductors 52, 54supplied with the alternating electric signal. The conductor(s) 52, 54are positioned such that the electric field 64 extends into the storagecompartment 32, and optionally into the drawer 30, where food storedtherein will be exposed to the electric field 64. This electric field 64can have a field strength falling within a range from about 1 kV/m toabout 150 kV/m.

The electric field 64 generated as described herein can interfere withthe proper functioning of other control components such as the PCBA 42that controls the temperature within the drawer 30, for example. Tominimize the effect of such interference, a shield 66 formed from amaterial that is at least one of electrically-conductive and magneticcan at least partially separate the PCBA 42 or other control circuitfrom the conductors 52, 54, thereby at least partially protecting thePCBA 42 from the electric field 64. As shown in FIG. 2, the shield 66forms a housing that extends substantially around the portions of thePCBA 42 that would otherwise be directly impacted by the electric field64.

The alternating electric signal can optionally be supplied to one orboth electrodes 52, 54 in a manner to generate the electric fieldsuitable to enhance the preservation of a particular food and/or type offood stored in the drawer 30. For example, the selection of a type offood input by a user via the user interface 46 described above canoptionally be used by a computer processor or other suitable controllerprovided to the PCBA 42, for example, to determine a voltage, frequency,or combination of voltage and frequency of the alternating electricsignal to be supplied to the one or more conductors 52, 54 forgenerating the electric field specifically suited for enhancing thepreservation of the food and/or food type selected via the userinterface 46.

The alternating electric signal can optionally be supplied to the one ormore conductors 52, 54 in a plurality of different operational modes.For instance, based on the specific food and/or food type to be storedin the drawer 30 input via the user interface 46, or otherwise selectedeither directly or indirectly by the user, the alternating electricsignal can optionally be supplied in a continuous mode, a pulsed mode,or a variable mode. In the continuous mode, the alternating electricsignal can be supplied with a predetermined voltage and/or frequencysuitable for enhancing the food and/or food type to be stored in thedrawer 30 for as long as the food is stored in the drawer 30. Thus, inthe continuous mode, the alternating electric signal is suppliedsubstantially continuously while the food is stored in the drawer 30.

In the pulsed mode, the alternating electric signal with a predeterminedvoltage and/or frequency can be repeatedly delivered continuously duringlimited pulse periods of time. Each pulse period of time issubstantially shorter than the time the food is stored in the drawer 30,and a plurality of pulses of the alternating electric signal aresupplied to the one or more conductors 52, 54 while the food is storedin the drawer 30. For example, the alternating electric signal can besupplied to the lower conductor 52, the upper conductor 54, or bothconductors 52, 54 for X seconds, where X is an integer that is greaterthan or equal to 2, for example, or any suitable duration. Delivery ofthe alternating electric signal to one or both conductors 52, 54 canthen be terminated for a desired period of time before being restartedfor the next pulse. Thus, in the pulsed operational mode, thealternating electric signal is repeatedly delivered to the one or moreconductors 52, 54 (substantially in phase when delivered to both) andterminated while the food is stored in the drawer 30. Further, the dutycycle of the pulses of the alternating electric signal can optionally beindependently determined for each pulse, and can vary among pulses.

In the variable operational mode, the alternating electric signal canoptionally be supplied to the one or more conductors 52, 54 to generatethe electric field with a variable voltage and/or frequency. Thus, thevoltage and/or frequency can be initially established and vary duringdelivery of the alternating electric signal to one or both conductors52, 54. However, the frequency can be maintained at a frequency lessthan 1 kHz and a voltage greater than or equal to 1 kV.

Illustrative embodiments have been described, hereinabove. It will beapparent to those skilled in the art that the above devices and methodsmay incorporate changes and modifications without departing from thegeneral scope of this invention. It is intended to include all suchmodifications and alterations within the scope of the present invention.Furthermore, to the extent that the term “includes” is used in eitherthe detailed description or the claims, such term is intended to beinclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as “comprising”is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim.

What is claimed is:
 1. A refrigeration device for storing food within anelectric field, the refrigeration device comprising: a fresh foodcompartment in which food is to be stored within a refrigeratedenvironment having a target temperature above zero degrees Centigrade; afreezer compartment for storing food in a sub-freezing environmenthaving a target temperature below zero degrees Centigrade; a storagecompartment in which a desired temperature for storing food in thestorage compartment is selectable by a user independently of the targettemperature of at least one of the fresh food compartment and thefreezer compartment; a refrigeration system that is operable to providea cooling effect to the fresh food compartment, the freezer compartmentand the storage compartment; a conductor arranged within close physicalproximity to a bottom surface of the storage compartment; and a controlsystem that controls delivery of an alternating electric signal to theconductor for generating an electric field that extends into the storagecompartment, wherein the alternating electric signal comprises afrequency less than 1 kHz and a voltage greater than or equal to 1 kV.2. The refrigeration device of claim 1, wherein the desired temperaturewithin the storage compartment is selectable by the user independentlyof the target temperature in both the fresh food and freezercompartments.
 3. The refrigeration device of claim 1, wherein thestorage compartment is partitioned from an interior of the fresh foodcompartment and accessible via a door that restricts access to theinterior of the fresh food compartment.
 4. The refrigeration device ofclaim 3 further comprising a drawer that is removably received withinthe storage compartment and food to be stored within the storagecompartment is to be placed in the drawer.
 5. The refrigeration deviceof claim 4, wherein the conductor is disposed adjacent to the bottomsurface of the storage compartment at an elevation vertically beneath anelevation of the drawer received within the storage compartment.
 6. Therefrigeration device of claim 1 further comprising a second conductorarranged within close physical proximity to a top surface of the storagecompartment and operatively connected to receive the alternatingelectric signal controlled by the control system.
 7. The refrigerationdevice of claim 6, wherein the signal delivered to the conductor and thesignal delivered to the second conductor are substantially in phase witheach other.
 8. The refrigeration device of claim 1, wherein the controlsystem is adapted to convert a supply signal having a voltage ofapproximately 115 V and a frequency of approximately 60 Hz into thealternating electric signal.
 9. The refrigeration device of claim 8,wherein the alternating electric signal delivered to the conductor bythe control system comprises a voltage within a range from aboutapproximately 1 kV to approximately 10 kV, and a frequency ofapproximately 60 Hz.
 10. The refrigeration device of claim 1, whereinthe electric field generated in response to delivery of the alternatingelectric signal to the conductor has a field strength within a rangefrom about 1 kV/m to about 150 kV/m.
 11. The refrigeration device ofclaim 1, wherein the storage compartment extends in a transversedirection, a distance that is substantially equal to a width of thefresh food compartment.
 12. The refrigeration device of claim 1, whereinthe conductor is permanently fixed adjacent to the bottom of the storagecompartment, and is not removable from the refrigeration device by theuser without subjecting the refrigeration device to damage.
 13. Therefrigeration device of claim 1, wherein the conductor is coupled to afloor of a drawer that is removably received within the storagecompartment, to be removed from and inserted into the storagecompartment with the drawer.
 14. The refrigeration device of claim 1,wherein the conductor is substantially planar, and formed from analuminum alloy comprising aluminum in combination with at least one ofmagnesium and silicon.
 15. The refrigeration device of claim 1 furthercomprising: a storage compartment controller provided to the storagecompartment that controls operation of the refrigeration system toestablish the desired temperature within the storage compartment; and ashield formed from an electrically-conductive material, the shield beingarranged relative to the storage compartment controller to shieldcomponents of the storage compartment controller and a region outside ofthe refrigeration device from the field generated via the delivery ofthe alternating electric signal to the conductor.
 16. The refrigerationdevice of claim 1, wherein the conductor is not grounded to a groundterminal of the control system, and experiences an ungrounded voltageduring the delivery of the alternating electric signal to the conductor.17. The refrigeration device of claim 1, wherein the storage compartmentextends in a transverse direction, a distance that is approximately halfof a width of the fresh food compartment or less.
 18. A refrigerationdevice for storing food within an electric field, the refrigerationdevice comprising: a primary food preservation compartment that isdedicated as either: a fresh food compartment in which food is to bestored within a refrigerated environment having a target temperatureabove zero degrees Centigrade, or a freezer compartment for storing foodin a sub-freezing environment having a target temperature below zerodegrees Centigrade; a storage compartment in which a desired temperaturefor storing food in the storage compartment is selectable by a userindependently of the target temperature of the primary food preservationcompartment; a refrigeration system that is operable to provide acooling effect to the primary food preservation compartment and thestorage compartment; a conductor arranged within close physicalproximity to a bottom surface of the storage compartment; and a controlsystem that controls delivery of an alternating electric signal to theconductor for generating an electric field that extends into the storagecompartment, wherein the alternating electric signal comprises afrequency less than 1 kHz and a voltage greater than or equal to 1 kV.